And They Call It Bella Notte
by foshizzlemyrizzle
Summary: Slightly AU fic where Jane and Maura have a secret friends with benefits relationship. Spoilers for mid season 6, after the fire but before the identity theft.
1. Chapter 1

Bella Notte

He sits alone at the bar sipping a diet soda as he waits for his order of sloppy joes and onion rings. He has been hearing all week about how great Angela Rizzoli's recipe is and can't wait to try a sample for himself.

He notices Det. Frankie Rizzoli (or 'other Rizzoli' as some in the drug unit refer to him) and Crime Scene Analyst Nina Holiday sitting a few stools down. They are smiling as they talk quietly.

Frankie's mother furtively watches them, her eyes sparkle as she carefully wipes already pristine wood. She turns toward Det. Sgt. Vince Korsak, who is at the other end of the bar working with a calculator and receipts. She tries to conduct a silent conversation complete with head nudges and questioning glances toward Frankie and Nina. Vince looks over his glasses toward the pair and shrugs.

An exasperated sigh escapes Angela's lips just as the cook dings an annoying bell and yells that an order is ready. His long awaited meal is placed in front of him along with a kind smile from Angela. "Enjoy, Dr. Drake," she whispers.

Before he can implore her to please call him Kent, another annoying bell above the entrance rings, and all eyes turn to see Det. Jane Rizzoli holding the door open for Dr. Maura Isles. Maura is in the middle of what he is sure to be a fascinating description of coronary damage and intestinal deterioration due to detrimental dietary decisions.

Jane has a sparkle in her eye as she grins and nods, and Kent suddenly sees a maternal resemblance. Jane's hand falls to the base of Maura's spine as the blonde passes through the door, and she gently guides the good doctor towards a booth in the back.

"Hello, mother," Angela mocks as they walk by her. "It's so good to see you. How are you? I'm fine, daughter dearest. How are you?"

"Hi, Ma," Jane chuckles as she removes her jacket and drops it into the booth seat. "Sorry to ignore you. But I finally convinced Maura to try your sloppy joes, promised that one little burger wouldn't give her a coronary or indigestion. So I couldn't interrupt her mid lecture."

Maura deposits her purse onto the opposite side of their booth and gives Jane a teasing smirk before they walk back toward the bar.

"Oh, really?" Angela beams. "How many sloppy joes do you want?"

"Just one 'slider' I believe it's called for me, please," Maura requests. "And a kale side salad."

"Oh, come on," Jane protests. "Get some onions rings. You can't eat just a salad with sloppy joes. It's un-American."

"But I don't want onion rings."

"That's what you always say. But then you always end up eating half of mine."

"Fine. One sloppy joe slider, one small order of onion rings, and a kale salad, please."

"And I'll have two full grown-up sized sloppy joes and a large order of onion rings."

Maura clears her throat as her eyes bulge out, giving Jane a stern look.

"You need a cough drop, Maura?"

"No. Do I need to remind you about your bullet wound and the substantial damage you sustained to your..."

"Oh, for the love of Pete! Can we not talk about my colon in front of people?"

Maura merely smiles and tilts her head. "Sorry," she whispers, "Order what you want."

Jane groans. "Fine. One regular sized sloppy joe, one regular sized order of onion rings, and one kale salad. Happy now, Maura?"

"Well, I'm not sad."

The lower tone of Maura's voice and the sultry look she gives Jane makes the three men who witness it blush and causes one woman to pause. The other woman obliviously scribbles down their order and carries it to the kitchen.

Kent observes two manicured fingers discreetly reach out and stroke up a homicide badge, then scissor tickle a flat abdomen.

"Ma! Make that order 'to go'!"

Angela gives Jane the stink eye, then turns back toward the kitchen, relaying the message to the cook.

"Should we get wine, Maura?"

Kent nearly chokes on an onion ring as he watches the distinguished chief medical examiner for the commonwealth bite her lip and nod.

"What kind of wine goes with sloppy joes?" Jane whispers.

"Beef? Can't go wrong with a Pinot Noir."

The brunette begins to bounce on the balls of her feet. "Ma, add a bottle of Pinot Noir to that order."

"Geez," Angela grumbles as she searches the mini fridge under the bar. "Don't you girls talk before you get here about what you want to eat?"

"Sometimes," Jane mumbles as she watches Maura stroll back to their booth, sit down, and cross her legs.

Angela places a bottle on the bar and smiles at her daughter. Jane approves the year and her mother places the wine in a plain paper bag.

"Oh, Janie. Don't forget to vote for cutest couple this week."

"Cutest what?"

"Couple," Angela huffs, pointing to a fishbowl half-filled with bits of folded paper. "The couple with the most votes wins a free romantic spaghetti dinner, complete with drinks, salad, garlic bread, and dessert."

"What? No strolling accordion player singing Bella Notte?"

"We're trying to make money, Jane. Not spend it all on musicians. The contest is a way to get butts in the seats."

"And they say romance is dead."

"Just vote for a couple, Janie." Angela tilts her head toward Frankie and Nina. Jane pretends not to notice.

"Can I vote for you and Ronald? So I can finally meet my new daddy?"

"Employees aren't eligible. Just vote for your favorite couple." Angela again makes wild visual gestures toward Jane's brother. So much so that Kent begins to wonder if Angela is indeed going to fix this promotion in her son's favor.

"What happens if everyone votes for themselves and every couple has the same number of votes?"

Angela hums as she contemplates this conundrum. Jane turns her head back toward Maura, who is speaking quietly into her phone as she dangles a high heeled shoe from her rotating foot.

"A-ha," Angela beams. "If there's a tie then I'll put all the votes back in the bowl and just pull one out at random."

"Seems like a waste of a lot of paper," Jane mumbles, baiting and distracting her mother from reading her vote.

Kent chuckles as Angela paces behind the bar, pointing to the paper recycling bin, and yelling about difficult and defiant daughters. His Italian is a little rusty but he thinks he hears the matriarch curse her eldest with a dozen children just like herself and an overly horny spouse who snores.

He nearly spits out his drink when he reads Jane's vote for Anita C. Hurtitz and Oliver Klozov.

"How do you notify the winners, Ma?" Jane antagonizes further as she folds her vote.

"By phone or text. Put their number on there, too."

Jane unfolds her vote and jots down 867-5309, as her mother rants about the rules being clearly posted on the side of the *Italian expletive* fishbowl. Jane tosses the paper into the bowl and walks back to Maura.

Kent's jaw drops open as he spies his boss slipping off her shoe and sliding her toes up Jane's pantleg. Looking around, he notices no one else paying the least bit of attention to the seduction taking place in booth number six.

Kent's eyes nearly bug out of his head when he spots Maura's foot traveling out of the pantleg and onto Jane's lap and then Jane caressing the blonde's calf with both hands. Just as he is about to say something, anything, but he can't decide what, the cook announces that their order is ready.

Maura slips her foot back into her shoe as Jane puts on her jacket again. Jane extends her palm toward Maura and Kent hears her say "no, MY wallet" when Maura tries to give Jane her credit card. Maura drops the card back into her purse and finally gives Jane what she wants.

Jane swaggers toward the bar and settles their bill, whispering to her brother not to wait up, while Maura quietly says goodnight to Nina. Maura cradles their wine in her arm like a baby as Jane grabs their bag of food, and they both say goodbye to everyone. Once again Jane opens the door for Maura, watches her hips as she sashays through it, then follows.

Kent blinks a few times, then leans over to tap Frankie on the shoulder. "How long have they...?" he starts before Frankie interrupts him.

"Ma and Janie? They always act like that. For as long as I can remember anyway. Jane is almost two years older than me."

"No, I mean the detective and Dr. Isles."

"What? Oh, you think they... Jane and Maura? No. No, they're just friends. Don't pay any attention to those rumors, it's all talk. But do not make a move on Maura. Jane gets really pissed."

"Language, Frankie."

"Really, Ma? I'm almost 40."

"And how old am I with only one grandchild?"

Frankie shakes his head in disbelief, as he watches his mother settle in to chat with Nina.

"Anyway, our little brother Tommy tried to kiss Maura once years back and Jane went ballistic. He was lucky he was in police custody when she found out or she would have kicked his ass."

"You don't say."

"I do say. And I did kiss her about a year ago and Jane just about tore me a new one when she found out. She was yelling about boundaries and consent, even the busted lip I had at the time. She started naming off germs and all kinds of scary viruses and diseases. But mostly she yelled about how I can't just grab women and kiss them without their permission. Threatened to rip my balls off and feed them to Korsak's dogs if I tried it again. I hid from her for like three days."

"Really?"

"She's mean when she's mad. And she is very protective over Maura. She's even killed for her. Twice."

"Excuse me? She has killed for her?"

"Well, they were justified. Serial killers. One was gonna rape Maura and make Jane watch before he planned to kill both of them. And the other had a knife to Maura's neck and was gonna murder suicide her and himself down an elevator shaft."

"I had no idea they had been through so much together."

"Yeah, now they're closer than regular best friends. Lots of nightmares between the both of them. So they have a lot of sleepovers."

"Is that so? Jane doesn't seem like the nightmare type."

"Well, you've seen her hands. The scars. The guy who was gonna rape Maura did that to her. Stalked her, sent killer apprentices after her, terrorized Jane for years."

"So this is why Dr. Isles knows about PTSD? She has experienced it. Seen it from both sides."

"I guess. But Maura pretty much knows everything about everything anyway."

"Fascinating."

"And that bullet wound of Jane's she mentioned, that happened right in front of Maura. You can probably google that. They say Maura was trying to hold Jane's blood and guts inside with her bare hands. Ripped off parts of her dress and was demanding Frost and Korsak's shirts to compress the entrance and exit wounds."

"Amazing. You said 'they say' ... you weren't there?"

"No, I was getting loaded into an ambulance myself. Maura had just saved my life. I got shot, too. I had a vest on but if the bullets hit you in the right spot, they can still fuck you up."

"Incredible. I had no idea."

"Yeah, so when Jane jokes around and teases Ma...we're all just glad she's alive and happy again. And we get why she's so territorial around Maura."

"You do?"

"Yeah. She doesn't want to lose her. You should have seen them when Jane shot Maura's dad. Jane was like a lost puppy."

"Jane shot Dr. Arthur Isles? The gentleman who was questioned a few weeks ago?"

"Not him, she shot Maura's birth father. Paddy Doyle."

"Who is Paddy Doyle?"

"Yeah. I keep forgetting you aren't from around here. He's like an OG mob boss from back in the day. Still has a lot of power even from prison. The shooting was all over social media. Jane and Maura had a wicked argument that this guy Pike recorded and put on YouTube. It got like a thousand hits before Cavanaugh made him take it down."

"And they made up after that?"

"Yeah, they were in a car crash, got shot at, and almost drowned. Maura could have lost her leg if Jane hadn't cut it in the right places. Something about bad blood building up. I don't know. I'm not a doctor."

"Unbelievable."

"I know. But it's all true."

"Thank you for sharing this with me, Detective Rizzoli."

"No problem. Just don't mention any of it in front of Jane and Maura. They don't really like to talk about that stuff."

"Of course. Well, I must be on my way. Angela, the sloppy joes certainly lived up to their hype."

"They have hype?" Angela beams as he hands over cash for his meal.

"Indeed they do. Keep the change."

"Thank you, Dr. Drake. Don't forget to vote for cutest couple before you take off."

"Certainly."

Kent picks up the stubby pencil beside the fishbowl, writes 'Jane and Maura' in neat and even letters on the paper provided, and adds his boss's cell phone number.

"Please, call me Kent," he says as he folds his vote and drops it into the bowl.

"Alright, Kent. You have a good night."

"Good night."


	2. Chapter 2

Jane enjoys the view of Maura's booty swishing as she mounts the stairs to the master bedroom. Her open blouse does little to hide her derriere. And her black lace panties are losing a game of hide and seek as they ride up and practically disappear toward the middle. Or are they winning?

Maura's skirt is slung over her shoulder, leaving her hands free to carry their second bottle of wine and two glasses. Jane is in a similar state or undress with her arms full of comfortable suit, cell phones, bottles of water, and her work shirt.

"I still can't believe you had never seen Lady and the Tramp, Maura. How is that even possible?"

She sees the blonde's shoulders shrug as they reach the top of the stairs. "It was a film released over twenty years before I was born. It isn't that hard to believe."

"Yeah, but it came on tv once a year. Just like the Wizard of Oz and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown."

"The great what?"

Jane stops dead in her tracks. "You have got to be kidding me! Maura!? Really?"

Laughter fills the hallway as Maura twirls around and points at Jane's face. "Gotcha! Well, I've seen Lady and the Tramp twice now," she whispers while walking backward into her bedroom. "Not that we watched much the second time around."

Jane feels herself both blushing and beaming with pride. "Damn right," she chuckles.

She watches Maura set down their wine and glasses on the nightstand by Maura's side of the bed. Her eyes never leave Maura's body as she strolls toward her walk-in closet and flips on the light. She loses sight of the blonde as she disappears within the racks of designer clothes.

Dumping her clothes into Maura's comfy reading chair by the window, she plops down onto the bed, sets the bottles on her nightstand, then opens the top drawer to search for their phone chargers.

She hears Maura tutting under her breath and whispering "too wrinkled" from the deep interior of the closet. She smiles, knowing the skirt had failed Maura's 'suitable for re-wear' examination and was now headed to the dry cleaners. Maybe she shouldn't have bunched the skirt up around Maura's waist during round one. But Maura hadn't complained and didn't say a word when the skirt was kicked off into a ball on the floor for round two. The panties will have to come completely off for round three.

"Jane? Do you want pajamas or are you up for another round?"

Jane's jaw drops. Did Maura just read her mind? Of course she's up for another round. How is that even a question? Why was the second bottle of wine and all the water up here if they weren't preparing for more?

"Um, 'Always up for another round' is my middle name," Jane scoffs. "You never need to ask me that."

"Well, you do require sleep on occasion," Maura retorts. "And your middle name is Clementine."

Jane snickers at Maura's joke on her own literal thinking. "Pajamas are optional for later ... much later if you want to lay some out. Unless you're ready to go to sleep now. Whatever you want to do."

Maura emerges from the closet in a tiny robe with folded flannel pajama bottoms and a color coordinated tank top for Jane, and a matching silk nightie for herself. "Actually, I'm in the mood for a soak in the tub if you'd like to join me."

"Always."

Maura saunters around the bed to stand between Jane's knees. Leaning over, she places delicate kisses on Jane's lips. "Then I want to ravish you ... then you can ravish me ...then we ravish each other ... and just make love ... until we pass out ... from exhaustion."

"I like the way you think, Dorthea."

"I'll go start the water. You hang up your suit so it doesn't wrinkle."

Jane throws her head back, laughing hysterically. "Oh my god, Maura! How do you go from hot sex goddess to nagging wife in 0.2 seconds?"

Maura's eyes grow large at the word wife. She tries to hide her reaction quickly, but Jane catches it.

"Hey," Jane whispers holding onto Maura's hips. "What was that?"

"It's nothing, Jane. Don't worry about it."

Jane sits up and tugs Maura toward her until the blond settles onto her lap,

straddling her with knees bent, and delicate toes dangling over the edge of the bed. Yoga.

"Talk to me, Maura. You know you can tell me anything."

Maura gazes into Jane's eyes and shakes her head. "I don't want to scare you."

Jane laces their fingers together and pouts. "It can't be that scary. Try me. Trust me."

Maura sighs and leans forward, resting their foreheads against each other. "Do you ever think about it, Jane? Settling down? Permanently committing? Just us?"

Jane's heart starts pounding and her breath hitches. "I do, Maura. I think about it a lot."

The smile on Maura's face brightens the room. The sparkle in her eyes puts the sun to shame. But then doubt dims her excitement. "Do you think about it good? Or think about it bad?"

Jane is quick to calm Maura's fears. "Good, Maura. I think about it good. I think about waking up in your arms every morning. I think about you having our kid. Or maybe adopting more than one. I think about growing old together. I think about it good."

Maura can not contain her excitement and kisses Jane deeply and thoroughly. Jane leans back, moaning into the kiss as she pulls Maura down to lie on top of her. But Maura resists and sits up once more. "What are we doing, Jane? Seriously. If we're on the same page finally, why don't we move forward to the next chapter?"

Jane exhales slowly, sinking her head against the mattress.

"I'm ready, Jane. I want you. I want us. I want to hold your hand when we walk down the street. I want a wedding. I want to have your baby. I want little league practice, dance recitals, and PTA meetings. Everything. And you say you want the same. Why can't we move forward? What's holding us back?"

"I don't know, Maura."

"Yes, you do know. Fear. It's nothing but fear stopping us and I'm simply tired of being afraid." Maura's shoulders slump as she fights to control her lacrimal glands.

Jane lifts their joined hands to her lips, kissing Maura's knuckles. "You're right," she whispers.

Maura's lips pouts as she blinks back tears. "I know I don't have any right to question you or make demands but-"

"What?" Jane raises up on her elbows, her face reflecting complete shock. "Of course you have a right! You have every right! I'm the one who put unfair rules on this secret best friends with benefits thing, whatever it started out as, and forced you back into a closet you never understood or even gave a shit about."

"You never forced me to do anything, Jane."

"I kissed you first. I put the moves on you first. This whole thing was my idea."

"It wasn't your idea, Jane. I hinted about it for months."

"But I acted it on it first. And after you told me about your college roommate."

"Why do you think I told you about her?"

"I don't know. Because best friends share things."

"I wanted you to know I wasn't straight, Jane. Because I wanted to be with you. It was a huge risk. You could have rejected me and walked away from our friendship right then. It had happened before. But I had faith that you were different. That we were the same. That you were just as attracted to me as I was to you. I was never happier than when I felt your kiss on my cheek, your hand on my thigh, your whisper in my ear to show you what to do."

"I had never been that happy before, Maura. When you kissed me back. When you made love to me that first time. I felt so free, like I could fly. Like all the thoughts and doubts in my head finally made sense. And when I made love to you, it was the most beautiful thing, you were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen or felt. I fell asleep in your arms that night thinking I wanted to feel that free, wanted you to feel that beautiful, all day everyday for the rest of our lives. But when I woke up the next morning, panic set in, and I asked you not to tell anybody about us. To keep that beauty secret and casual. Just something we'd do for fun sometimes. I was so unfair to you, Maura. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, Jane. I knew we wouldn't be out or exclusive right away. I knew you had worries about your sexuality, your family and your job. I just wanted whatever you were willing to give me. I was happy to take it. Don't apologize. It's just that it has been five years now. We keep coming back together. After every boyfriend leaves. After every other relationship ends. We love each other. We belong together. I really believe that. As for your family, your mother actually cheered on June 26th. I think it's safe to come out now."

"Are you sure, Maura? Cheering for basic human rights isn't the same as planning your daughter's big bi lesbian wedding."

"What does Angela want for you, Jane? What is she always telling you?"

"That she just wants me to be happy. To have someone who'll take care of me. And to give her grandbabies."

"Well, you can take care of yourself but I definitely care for you. I would love to give you babies. Do I still make you happy, Jane?"

"The happiest I have ever been in my whole life."

"Happier than Casey?"

"Exponentially."

Maura wiggles her eyebrows and leans down for more kisses. Jane rolls them over mid-kiss until she is cradled between Maura's thighs and caressing her face with scarred hands. Pulling away slightly, she marvels at the wonder that is Maura Isles.

"Do I make you happier than Ian?"

"Of course! Why are you asking about Ian? I haven't given him a thought in years."

"You said he was the love of your life."

"I thought he was at the time. Back before I knew what love really is. Ian was nothing but empty promises, false hope, and a halfway decent lay. You helped me realize that."

"I was so jealous. You have no idea. I really wanted to kick him in the nuts. But that would have made you sad or mad."

"I'm glad you handled the situation with grace and dignity."

"Did you ever even like Casey, Maura?"

"I liked him well enough until he ignored you and treated you like nothing. Then I tolerated him until he tried to take you away."

"Yet you were willing to plan my bridal shower? Why?"

"That was what you said you wanted. He's what you thought would make you happy. You said you'd get a house with him on the waterfront here in Boston. We would still work together, run and maybe do yoga together, and have movie with pizza nights. I hoped maybe we could get a weekend away together occasionally. Even if all we did was talk and laugh and sleep, it would be enough as long as you were happy."

"Really?"

"This isn't just about the sex, Jane. If you marrying Casey had taken this level of our relationship away, I would have survived. I can live without making love to you, even though I don't want to. Because I love you and this is the best sex I've ever had. What I can not live without is you. Because this is also the best friendship I've ever had."

"I love you, too," Jane whispers, then kisses Maura's lips softly and slowly. Maura's legs wrap around her waist as the kiss deepens. Jane caresses a creamy thigh, inching her way closer to paradise when a phone starts ringing.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Jane wails as Maura's legs fell back against the bed.

Groaning, Jane answers the ringing phone with a gruff "Rizzoli."

"Jane?"

"Ma?"

"Why are you answering Maura's phone?"

"Because I was closer to it. Why are you calling Maura's phone?"

"Because you and Maura won."

"Won what?"

"The cutest couple contest."

"Maura and I won the cutest couple contest?"

"The free romantic spaghetti dinner for two."

"Free spaghetti?"

Maura starts giggling and Jane becomes distracted by her jiggling breasts. She starts laughing as well and begins to pull Maura's robe open further. She gasps when she sees full frontal nudity.

"I know it's odd, Janie. But you guys won fair and square."

Jane pulls the phone away and stares at the source of her mother's voice in one hand and Maura's breast in her other hand. "This is so weird." Maura just giggles and jiggles more.

"I know you girls aren't a couple but maybe you should be. You got six votes. Second place only had two votes."

"What is happening?" Jane whispers

"Is it Nonna Rizzoli's spaghetti recipe?" Maura wonders out loud

Jane pauses, contemplating her words carefully as she also teases Maura's nipple with her thumb. "You wanna go, Maura?"

Maura thrusts her hips up against Jane and moans, "Yessss."

Jane gulps and closes her eyes. "When is this dinner, Ma?"

"Tomorrow night."

"Okay, yeah. We're not on call tomorrow. We'll be there. What time?"

"6ish?"

"Alright. Just don't expect me to roll meatballs toward Maura with my nose."

"Please don't," Maura laughs.

"Ma! Do you believe before tonight this girl had never seen Lady and the Tramp?"

"No! How is that possible?"

"I know!"

"Unreal. Well, I'll let you girls go. You staying there tonight?"

"Yeah. I've had way too much to drink."

"Okay. I'll make myself scarce in the morning. I know how grumpy hungover you can be."

"Ha ha."

"Give Maura my love and I'll see you tomorrow at 6."

"Good night, Ma."

Jane disconnects the call and puts the charging phone back on the nightstand. She looks down at her disheveled Maura and smiles.

"What are you grinning about?"

"My past. My present. My future."

"Cryptic."

"Not really. Do you want to come out to Ma tomorrow at this dinner? We could share a spaghetti noodle and kiss right in front of her."

"Yes. Maybe not by imitating cartoon canines though. She might think we're joking."

"We'll think of something. Come on, lovely lady," Jane whispers as she pulls Maura to her feet. "You wanted a bath. Let's get all clean so we can get all dirty again."

"Fine."

"So what's the real reason you never saw Lady and the Tramp?"

"The talking dogs. They freaked me out."

"But you were okay with Snoopy?"

"He communicated non-verbally."

"And wrote Red Baron Flying Ace fanfiction on a typewriter."

Maura looks off into space, lost in thought, then shakes her head as she walks off. "I was a child," she says over her shoulder. "My decisions weren't always rational."

Jane enjoys the view of Maura's booty as she swishes toward the bathroom.


	3. Chapter 3

Jane steps inside the Dirty Robber and walks toward the reserved table in the back. Her mother has really outdone herself with the effort put into making their winner dinner very formal and romantic.

The white tablecloth and real cloth napkins are crisp and neat. The candles and silverware set to perfection. Angela has dimmed the lighting in the corner and has an iPod docked and quietly playing love songs.

With a confused look, Jane heads toward the kitchen to check in with her mother. Knocking on the door frame to get her attention, Jane watches Angela turn around and smile.

"Janie! You look so pretty!"

"Thanks," Jane mumbles. She is wearing a little black dress with black heels and carrying a small black clutch. Her dress reminds her of the one her mother had bought for her a few years earlier. The one she had lost in the fire. This one is new with spaghetti straps and a slightly longer hemline.

"Where's Maura?" her mother asks.

"She's on her way."

"You didn't pick her up for your 'date'?"

"No, she had some errands to run and said she'd meet me here."

"What kind of errands?"

"I don't know, Ma. I didn't ask. Grocery shopping. Dry cleaners. What does it matter? I had some stuff to do myself. No big deal."

"You don't have to get all snippy about it. I was just asking."

"I'm sorry, Ma. I just have a lot on my mind."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I do but I don't. It's complicated."

"Is this about you and Maura?"

"Jane's eyes grow wide and her mouth goes dry. "What do you mean?"

"Angela looks at her fidgety daughter and takes her hand. "Nothing," she whispers. "It's just sometimes lately I wonder if there are things I don't know. Maybe I thought I was imagining things. That I was just seeing things that weren't really happening. But there are at least six other people who think the same thing."

"Ma?"

"You know I love you, Jane. But I don't think you know how much. Or how deep. I love everything about you. Even the parts I don't know about. Because all those parts make you who you are. And I wouldn't change one thing about you."

"What if there are parts you don't understand or agree with?"

"Doesn't matter. As long as you're happy, I'm happy for you. And you don't have to tell me everything right this second or even ever. Even though that would probably kill my nosey ass. Just know that I'll always love you. Nothing can change that."

"Thanks, Ma."

"You're welcome."

An awkward silence falls between them. Jane wonders if she should confess everything now or wait for Maura to arrive.

"I can't wait to see what Maura's wearing," Angela whispers.

"Me, too," Jane answers, swaying her shoulders and pursing her lips.

"Hmm?"

"I mean, she probably bought something new today. Something I haven't seen yet."

"Right," Angela smiles at her daughter and nods her head. "Do you want something to drink before Maura gets here?"

"Water would be fine. I'll wait to order wine. Whatever Maura usually drinks with spaghetti, I guess. You know what she likes."

"I do."

Jane looks at the floor as her mother walks away. She exhales slowly, walks back to the table, and pulls a tiny velvet box from her purse.

Confusion and indecision cloud her brain. She and Maura had agreed about coming out to her mother tonight, but they never decided on how. Now it appears as if her mother already knows about their relationship and approves.

Jane had bought the ring that afternoon to give to Maura at some point in the near future. She hasn't quite decided how to do that yet either, she just knows that it needs to be soon. Maura has been so patient and considerate of her doubts and fears, so loving and supportive for the past five years.

Hearing the bell above the door ring, Jane quickly returns the box to her purse and turns to see Maura walk inside. The blonde looks beautiful in a new red dress. It is similar to one of her blue dresses that Jane especially likes, and in a color she has always loved to see Maura wear.

Maura walks toward her with a bright smile and a bounce in her step. Her eyes never leave Jane's as she navigates her way around various tables and fellow diners with poise and grace. She finally reaches Jane, and is rewarded with a quick kiss on her pretty lips.

"Jane?" she asks with shock, looking around to see if anyone witnessed the public display of affection.

Jane just smiles. "How are you so perfect?" Jane whispers. "How am I so lucky?"

"No one is perfect, Jane. And I'm the lucky one."

Jane gently takes Maura's hand and leads her toward their table. Pulling out a chair she urges Maura to sit down. As the blonde complies, Jane leans down and whispers into her ear, "I think Ma already knows about us."

Maura's bright eyes widen in shock as she watches Jane sit down. "What makes you think that?" she whispers.

"She just gave me this long speech about not believing what she thought she saw but other people see it too so maybe it's true. And she loves me, every part of me, even the parts she doesn't know...it was surreal."

"Are you sure was talking about our relationship?"

"Well, she wasn't talking about my love of interpretive dance."

Maura gives her a knowing smirk.

"I didn't confirm or deny anything but we both knew what we were talking about."

"This is good, right? She seemed supportive?"

"Very supportive."

"What do we do now? Should we just tell her the truth?"

"I have an idea. Just act normal and follow my lead."

"What's your plan?"

"Just trust me," Jane whispers as her mother returns.


End file.
